Man was it hot. So hot, I literally got a sun burn in the shade. So hot, that I knew there’d be extra innings when I first got to the park.

Hughes absolutely stunk. I don’t even want to talk about him.

Loved how there was Send Swisher logos in any direction that you looked. They really are pushing hard for him to make the team, which is great. Must be really hard to watch though if your name is Brett Gardner. He deserves it every bit as much as Swisher does, if not more.

Speaking of Gardner, this game was a gift. That “inside-the-park” home run for Gardner was a routine fly ball to center that was booted. I’m not quite sure how they don’t call that an error. For all those detractors, Tex has finally heated up. Since June 18, he’s hitting .328/.394/.586 in 66 PA with 9 XBH and 15 RBI. This is just in the nick of time as it counters Cano’s poor performance during that stretch.

Lastly, I’m starting to grow bored with the pie in the face routine after walk offs. Every team is doing it this year, we did it last year, it’s time to let it go.

Comments on July 4th Vs. The Blue Jays

Understand what you’re saying about Gardner’s ITPHR, but you figure the official scorer perceived it was a no-fault misplay by the OF because of the sun, so they gave him the HR.

Don’t know if it was the same official scorer, but A-Rod’s lost pop with the bases loaded Saturday was ruled a double, so at least they’re consistent.

I’d be shocked if Swisher wins that vote. Yankee fans by and large aren’t amped by that sort of thing, and I think if you polled the regulars (cough, Steve) most of them would say they had no plans to vote.

A-Rod’s double has to be a hit. The ball was lost in the sun, and the fielder never touched it.

Never seen that scored anything other than a hit.

The key phrase is “ordinary effort”.

The old Stadium (Stadium II) had brutal sunfields in left and left center. Though the announcers say the angle of orientation of the Stadium III is the same as Stadium II, it’s not really true. It’s been rotated slightly counter-clockwise (see here: http://www.delawareonline.com/blogs/uploaded_images/Yankee-Stadium-Baseba_Corm-723271.JPG), and the result is that the entire outfield is a brutal sun field. Left and left center are still worse, but right field tough as well.

Arod’s Double – Lost in the sun because the outfielder was too stupid to flip down his sun glasses, that sounds like an error to me.

Errors are not given for mental mistakes. There’s no section in the scoring rules for giving an error for failing to flip down glasses. Or for putting a career infielder in left field in Yankee Stadium.